Rankings, playoff picks, championship predictions

Here’s our best guess at the Top 5 in each class after the final week of the regular season, our predictions for the winners of this week’s playoff games, and our prediction for State Champions in each classification. Asterisks indicate the first round games we believe will be the closest, thinking a touchdown or less for the final margin.

Remember, these are predictions, the games will still be played on the field and some of our predictions will be wrong. For those coaches looking for additional motivation, you're welcome for the bulletin board material.

Good luck to all teams in their quest for a 2024 State Championship which starts this week!

Class 6A

1. Derby
2. Manhattan
3. Blue Valley West
4. Gardner Edgerton
5. Wichita Northwest

East

Gardner Edgerton over Wyandotte
*Lawrence over Shawnee Mission East
Blue Valley Northwest over Shawnee Mission North
Free State over Olathe West
Blue Valley West over Shawnee Mission West
*Olathe South over Olathe Northwest
Shawnee Mission Northwest over Shawnee Mission South
*Olathe East over Olathe North

West

Derby over Campus
Junction City over Topeka
Dodge City over Garden City
Wichita East over Wichita West
Manhattan over Wichita North
*Maize over Washburn Rural
Wichita Northwest over Wichita Southeast
*Wichita South over Wichita Heights

State Championship Prediction

Derby over Gardner Edgerton

Gardner Edgerton edges Blue Valley West in the East semifinal, though Free State and Shawnee Mission Northwest could be a factor, while Derby downs Manhattan in the West semifinal with Wichita Northwest the other potential contender.

Class 5A

1. Mill Valley
2. St. Thomas Aquinas
3. Blue Valley
4. Great Bend
5. St. James Academy

East

Aquinas over Turner
Pittsburg over Highland Park
Mill Valley over JC Harmon
*Spring Hill over Shawnee Heights
De Soto over Blue Valley North
Leavenworth over Washington
Basehor-Linwood over Blue Valley Southwest
*Blue Valley over St. James Academy

West

Great Bend over Newton
*Andover over Hays
Hutchinson over Salina South
*Liberal over Bishop Carroll
Eisenhower over Emporia
Salina Central over Maize South
Seaman over Topeka West
Goddard over Valley Center

State Championship Prediction

Mill Valley over Great Bend

This one is tough, Mill Valley and Aquinas appear headed for what looks to be an epic matchup in the East quarterfinals and the winner of that matchup is your likely State Champion. Blue Valley and St. James Academy are going to play one of the very best opening round matchups in any classification and the winner is likely to play either Mill Valley or STA in the semis. On the West side, Great Bend and Eisenhower look to be headed for a potential shootout in the semifinals, though Hutch and Andover play a brand of football that can make for an upset. 

Class 4A

1. Andover Central
2. Bishop Miege
3. Kapaun
4. Wellington
5. Louisburg

East

Atchison over Bonner Springs
*Lansing over Eudora
Fort Scott over Field Kindley
Tonganoxie over FL Schlagle
*Bishop Miege over Louisburg
Labette County over Sumner
Chanute over Paola
*Ottawa over Piper

West

Wamego over Independence
McPherson over Abilene
Mulvane over Augusta
Buhler over Ark City
Andover Central over El Dorado
*Winfield over Circle
Wellington over Ulysses
Kapaun over Rose Hill

State Championship Prediction

Andover Central over Bishop Miege

Yes, a one-win Miege team is likely to be the East representative in the 4A title game, but this is the year that Andover Central finally takes them down and returns the trophy to a public school.

Class 3A

1. Andale
2. Hayden
3. Collegiate
4. Rock Creek
5. Frontenac

East

Wellsville over Baldwin
Holton over Burlington
Prairie View over Iola
Columbus over Parson
Frontenac over Baxter Springs
*Perry-Lecompton over Santa Fe Trail
Hayden over Hiawatha
Girard over Bishop Ward

West

Andale over Concordia
*Pratt over Clay Center
Wichita Collegiate over Colby
Cheney over Trinity Academy
Rock Creek over Smoky Valley
*Holcomb over Marysville
Scott City over Clearwater
Hesston over Goodland

State Championship Prediction

Andale over Hayden

Frontenac or Wellsville could give Hayden a tussle on the East side of the bracket, but in the West - and the title game for that matter - it's hard to imagine anyone slowing down an Andale team that appears hell-bent on atoning for last year's "down" season.

Class 2A

1. Southeast of Saline
2. Nemaha Central
3. Osage City
4. Silver Lake
5. Humboldt

East

Humboldt over Atchison County
*Riverton over Eureka
Council Grove over Caney Valley
Silver Lake over Galena
Osage City over Bluestem
St. Marys over Central Heights
Nemaha Central over Fredonia
*Sabetha over Royal Valley

West

Southeast of Saline over Larned
Norton over Hillsboro
Hoisington over Ellsworth
Haven over Cimarron
Garden Plain over Douglass
Phillipsburg over Kingman
Beloit over Minneapolis
*Lakin over Halstead

State Championship Prediction

Southeast of Saline over Nemaha Central

This is likely the deepest classification of them all. A potential Nemaha Central vs. Osage City matchup in the East quarterfinals is intriguing, but big game experience propels the Thunder to the title game, while Southeast of Saline appears the clear favorite on the West side of the bracket.

Class 1A

1. Conway Springs
2. Rossville
3. Jackson Heights
4. St. Mary's Colgan
5. Moundridge

East

Jackson Heights over Erie
Troy over Jayhawk Linn
Rossville over Wabaunsee
McLouth over Pleasanton
St. Mary's Colgan over Horton
Riverside over Jeff County North
Centralia over Onaga
Olpe over Mission Valley

West

Conway Springs over Bennington
Marion over Sacred Heart
*Inman over Plainville
Sedgwick over Republic County
*Moundridge over Hutch Trinity
Medicine Lodge over Smith Center
Valley Heights over Oakley
*Sterling over TMP

State Championship Prediction

Conway Springs over Rossville

A potential East quarterfinal matchup between Jackson Heights and Rossville is the game most 1A fans are looking forward to, while Conway Springs may be even better than their 1A title team of a season ago and is a noted favorite in the West.

8-Man I

1. Hoxie
2. Wichita County
3. South Central
4. Ell-Saline
5. West Elk

East

West Elk over Northern Heights
*Little River over Lincoln
Chase County over Sedan
*Central Plains over Sylvan-Lucas
Ell-Saline over Rock Hills
Madison over Cedar Vale/Dexter
Clifton Clyde over Solomon
*Oswego over Lyndon

West

South Central over Spearville
*Rawlins County over Ellis
*Sublette over Skyline
Hill City over Trego
Wichita County over Decatur Community
*South Gray over Kiowa County
Hoxie over La Crosse
Oxford over Kinsley

State Championship Prediction

Hoxie over Ell-Saline

There's some depth in this classification. Ell-Saline's schedule leaves them battle-tested and gives them the edge in a potential matchup with West Elk in the East semifinals, while Hoxie and Wichita County appear headed toward an epic quarterfinal matchup on the West side with a likely matchup against South Central awaiting the winner in the semis.

8-Man II

1. Axtell
2. Hanover
3. Frankfort
4. Victoria
5. Burlingame

East

Marmaton Valley over Hartford
Frankfort over Linn
Burlingame over St. Paul
Hanover over Pike Valley
Axtell over Thunder Ridge
Rural Vista over Waverly
Osborne over Blue Valley-Randolph
*Lebo over Colony-Crest

West

Central Christian over Macksville
Logan/Palco over Ashland
Victoria over Langdon-Fairfield
Minneola over Wallace County
Bucklin over Wheatland/Grinnell
Hodgeman County over Norwich
Dighton over Deerfield
*St. John over Argonia-Attica

State Championship Prediction

Axtell over Victoria

The East bracket is absolutely loaded, but nothing that has happened over the past four years provides any indication that Axtell isn't the runaway favorite to four-peat. Victoria appears to be a noted favorite in the West, with Dighton a likely challenger in the semifinals.

6-Man

1. Cunningham
2. Weskan
3. South Barber
4. Ingalls
5. Golden Plains

East

Chetopa over Chase

West

Northern Valley over Rolla
Pawnee Heights over Western Plains
Moscow over Triplains

State Championship Prediction

Cunningham over Weskan

The Wildcats appear headed for a dominant 6-Man run through the East to the championship. The West side of the bracket is more balanced, even once highly-regarded Weskan appears vulnerable.